1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for fitting a press-fit connector to a printed circuit board. Here a press-fit connector is taken to be a connector such as is used for a non-soldered connection to a printed circuit board, and is referred to thereunder simply as a connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
A connector 1 applicable for use with the present invention is shown in FIG. 5 (A) and FIG. 5 (B). FIG. 5 (A) is perspective view showing the construction of the connector 1, while FIG. 5 (B) is a detailed cross-sectional view of a part of the connector 1 of FIG. 5 (A). As shown in FIGS. 5 (A) and (B), the connector 1 comprises a plurality of pins 1A mounted in a housing 1B, by means of attachment portions 12 on the pins 1A.
In fitting the connector 1 to a printed circuit board 8, at first end portions 14 of the pins 1A are inserted into through holes 8A formed in the printed circuit board 8. The attachment portions 12 of the pins 1A are then pressed down by a press head 16 formed with comb shaped recesses, so that press-fit portions 11 of the pins 1A are press-fitted into the through holes 8A to provide an electrical connection with the printed circuit board 8. It should be noted that the comb shape of the press head 16 is formed to avoid contact with the upper portions 13 of the pins 1A, so that the pins are positively pressed by the attachment portions 12 of the pins 1A.
Next, with reference to FIG. 6, is a description of the construction of a conventional apparatus for press-fitting a connector to a printed circuit board. In FIG. 6, elements the same as those in FIG. 5 are indicated with the same numerals. A die block 9 in FIG. 6 is formed with relief apertures 9A, positioned to correspond to the through holes 8A formed in the printed circuit board 8, so as to accommodate the end portions 14 of the pins 1A. The die block 9 is fixed to a table 10 which is mounted on a bed 10A, so as to be movable in the X and Y axes direction as shown in FIG. 6 under the control of a Numerical Control machine (not shown in the figures).
The conventional apparatus shown in FIG. 6 is seem-automatically operated. In other words, referring to FIG. 7 which shows a condition before pressing the connector 1, the operator mounts the connector 1 on a printed circuit board 8 resting on the die block 9, so that only the end portions 14 of the pins 1A are inserted into the through holes 8A in the printed circuit board 8.
Then, on switching on the apparatus start switch in the condition shown of FIG. 7, the table 10 moves to a predetermined X-Y c.o.-ordinate. The cylinder 16A (see FIG. 6) then lowers the press head 16 so that the front of the press head 16 presses the shoulders of the attachment portions 12 of the pins 1A in a downward direction, thereby pressing the connector 1 against the printed circuit board 8.
FIG. 8 shows the connector 1 in this pressed condition against the printed circuit board 8, with the press-fit portions 11 of the pins 1A pressed fully into the through holes 8A of the printed circuit board 8.
With the conventional apparatus of FIG. 6 however, operating efficiency is low due to the requirement for an operator to half-mount several connectors 1 on the printed circuit board 8 with the end portions 14 of the pins 1A inserted into the through holes 8A.
To fully automate the operation, it is necessary to pre-align a connector 1 having a complicated shape, and deliver this to the printed circuit board 8 in the aligned condition, so that the pins 1A can be inserted into the through holes 8A. However, due to the weak nature of the mounting of the attachment portions 12 in the housing 1B there is the possibility of the pins 1A becoming inclined with respect to the housing 1B during delivery due to bumping etc., so that the pins cannot be properly inserted.